Volume 2 - CH 5.4

So, as Friends

Translated by 64990022

Chapter 5: So, as friends.

Part 4

We resumed our wandering through the underground shopping center, again, at Mikage’s whim. As we walked around looking at our surroundings, I noticed that passersby were frequently glancing in Mikage’s direction. Like the waiter at the soba noodle shop we had just been at, even by metropolitan standard, she was outstanding. 

However, among the gazes that were fawning over Mikage, there were more than a few that were clearly hostile toward me.

I’m sorry, I’m mediocre. I know I don’t deserve to be here.

Feeling somewhat ticked off, I tagged along Mikage’s behind.

On the way, we bought a donut each at Mister Donut and ate it in the eat-in area before setting off again. As we walked, the walls gradually turned red.

[TN: Hep Five’s theme color’s red.]

I looked at a nearby billboard.

“Oh, we’re in Hep Five underground territory.”

“The one with the Ferris wheel? It’s a shopping mall, right?”

She quickly went off to the escalator and peeked at the upper floors. Then she rounded back and dragged me to the escalator.

“Ooooh…”

“What’s that…”

A gigantic scarlet whale decoration fixed in mid-air. It was ridiculously large. Vertically, the whale boldly strike through the atrium.

But why a whale in a department store?

“Now that we’re here, let’s see some shops”

“Alright, alright, got it.”

With eager Mikage in the lead, we went around Hep Five. I noticed that people inside the store were significantly younger than those outside, not to say more fashionable.

“I can’t read the store names… is that even a Japanese font?”

“Even the classy Starbucks looks normal here,” she commented.

[TN: Starbucks is dubbed as “hangout spot for extroverts” in Japan]

Mikage repeatedly wandered into this store and that, looked at the shelves, and then left again, all the while making rural folks’ exclamations.

And then she suddenly stared at a pair of socks with an unusual design and took it straight to the cashier.

I couldn’t say if that was her being carefree or unreadable. But she seemed to be enjoying herself, so what could I do?

By the way, the cashier’s eyes hadn’t left Mikage for a second. Oi, at least keep that down when working.

“Akashi-kun, what do you think?” She tried on a black bucket hat.

What do I think…

“Looks good.”

“Elaborate.”

“It fits you.”

“How much?”

“It really looks good on you”

“Fufu. I see. Thanks.”

Satisfied, she returned the hat to the shelf.

I had no idea what that was earlier. What kind of joke was that? Was she teasing me?

I shook my head in exasperation and followed her.

“What about this?”

She now had a beige cassock on. It has a one-point buckle on the top of the brim.

“This one looks good too…”

“Which do you like better?”

“Decide for yourself.”

“Don’t be boring.”

“I can be boring.”

What I actually meant was that they both look ridiculously good on you, idiot.

Next, we went around Hep Five for a while. In spite of her reservations, I offered to carry the bags. Finally, we went up to the eighth floor and entered a small arcade. We played Taiko Drum Master and I lost. In air field hockey, I was leading until about halfway through when she caught up with me just in time and we played to a draw.

In both games, she was like an elementary school kind, yelling and screaming, arms flailing.

“Now, the penalty for losing.” And there she went, she hadn’t said a word about earlier being a penalty game.

She dragged me to a crane machine with a cat character I don’t know.

“You want this?”

“I want this. Cute.”

“You call this cute…?”

If anything, it looked weird.

Oh, or was this the latest trend, the “weirdly cute.”

“Well, whatever.”

I let the topic drop and compliantly inserted the coin. The cat was quite big, the crane looked weak, but with this type of structure, I can take leverage of the supporting beam… Sorry, ugly cat, I think you’ll fall into my hands soon.

“Eh! Wow! You actually got it!”

At my third try, I got the one she wanted out.

Mikage quickly hugged it tight and jumped up and down in elation.

Stop overreacting. Also, your skirt’s short, stop it.

“Akashi-kun, I don’t think you’d be so good at this! Your drum was terrible! How?”

“Cough, cough…it’s Hiura’s fault.”

But instead of dolls, Hiura always goes for big packs of snacks and such. We put the cat in the bag the staff gave us and went down the escalator. We could have ridden the Ferris wheel, but Mikage didn’t seem to be interested.

“That’s a lot of photo booths. I’ve never seen that many”

“It probably took up half of the game center.”

“You know, I really want to get a photo with you. If only it weren’t for Yuzuki-san and the others.”

“I don’t think they would mind?”

Reiji might have complained about how it should have been him though.

“Then wanna shot?” she asked.

“No will do.”

“Hmp, see?”

What’s with that knowing smile…

◆　◆　◆

When we finally left Hep Five, it was already dusking outside. Pedestrians and traffic looked like it was at its peak. The scenery was very much like a metropolitan evening seen in movies.

With the help of signs, we somehow made it back to the Osaka Station. We traced back to the Luca and hitched an elevator ride to the ninth floor.

“Whoaaa” gasped Mikage.

“Well, this is something.”

In front of us was a sizable Tsutaya Bookstore. The layout was a stylish cylinder-shaped loft surrounding the central atrium with the elevators. It even had a coworking space at the entrance.

Actually, I was the one who requested this. When I saw this place on the internet, I knew I had to come.

“What is it that you want?”

“The truth is, I just want to check out the place. Sorry for dragging you here.”

“I don’t mind. I just did the same thing to you earlier, remember? Hehe.”

Together, we went through shelves at random. Since we were completely clueless which genre is where, I had got to see a lot of books I usually wouldn’t bother to look at. Combined with the atmosphere of the store, it felt like traveling a foreign country.

For once today, no one was paying attention to Mikage. I was also able to take it easy myself too. Everyone here was occupied with themselves, and it had an effect on me.

I think coming here last was the correct choice.

“Uh, Akashi-kun?” She set down the coffee “When I ask whether you have magical powers like in the rumors or not, you said no, right?”

“I did…”

I braced myself. Why would she bring that up…

“Well, what if you have one, what would you do with it?”

“…”

Ahh. It was the same question…

–What would you do if you happened to have magical power?

Play

Unmute

This has to be a coincidence. Mikage could never know about Ayaha, nor my power. This was Mikage’s personal curiosity, nothing more.

“That depends…If it’s useful then I’d use it, if it’s something I’d get in trouble if found out then I might try to hide it.”

“That’s…a good take. And what if it’s something you can’t hide.”

“How?”

If I can’t hide…

I clenched and unclenched my fist under the table. If I can’t then why not not use it in the first place… No, no one would have come to a conclusion about my power. Except for Minato.

“What if everyone could tell at first glance that you’re special, what’d you do?”

Her white eyes pierced through the dim light of the resting corner.

I was forced to acknowledge how pretty she was once again.

[TN: And there he goes, my guy had no idea she was hinting about herself.]